The McCarthy era with its witch hunts and blacklists is justly remembered as one of the darkest periods of American history, but it also happened to inspire at least two classic, if incredibly obscure, novelty songs (see also The Senator McCarthy Blues). The hilarious conceit of Get That Communist, Joe is that it casts the alcoholic senator from Wisconsin as the savior of American manhood. Yes, it is up to Tailgunner Joe to stop the 'comrade Romeo' from seducing gullible women with 'propaganda' and that causes them to 'meander.' Roy Cohn himself couldn't have written a better lyric.

Beyond Get That Communist, Joe and its flipside, Goodbye, Don't Cry Over Me (also penned by Weinman-Dorney) it is unknown if The Kavaliers ever recorded another side. It is known, however, that one of Bernard Weinman and Richard Dorney's other political compositions, The Senator From Tennessee, was recorded by country cult favorite Hardrock Gunter. Weinman himself was a partner in Republic's music publishing venture, and cut himself in for one-half of a song, Too Much, that first appeared on Republic and was later recorded by Elvis Presley.

LYRICS/TRANSCRIPTION:
Get That Communist, Joe: The Kavaliers [1954]

Joe, come here a minute
I get a red hot tip for you, Joe

See that guy with the red suspenders
Driving that car with the bright red fenders
I know he's one of those heavy spenders
Get that Communist Joe

He's fillin' my gal with propaganda
And I'm scared she will meander
Don't want to take a chance that he'll land her
Get that Communist Joe

He's a most revolting character
And the fellas hate him so
But with the girls this character
Is a Comrade Romeo

Since my love he's sabotaging
And the law he has been dodging
Give him what he deserves, jailhouse lodging
Get that Communist Joe (Get that Shmo, Joe)